Attleboro Obituary: Retired Police Chief Roland Sabourin

From Hathaway Funerals:

Roland D Sabourin Jr., 65, died on Tuesday, August 20.  For the past 16 years he fought valiantly against a lung cancer that first surfaced in 1995, again in 2000, and 2004 and most recently in 2011.  Each time he found the strength and courage to persevere.

He made his entrance at Sturdy Memorial Hospital in Attleboro on Tuesday, January 20, 1948, his Dad maneuvering their vehicle through a raging storm that covered the ground with 4 feet of snow.  His Mother often reminisced that her fear that day was that he would arrive in the family’s 1946 Plymouth.

He was the son of the late Roland Delphis Sabourin Sr and Grace Rita Padula Sabourin-McGrath.

Roland (Rollie) was a 1966 graduate of Bishop Feehan High School and credits his successes in life to the educational, religious and spiritual foundation provided by his alma mater. He was a 1977 graduate of Stonehill College, served in the United States Coast Guard from 1966-1970, and was a member of the Attleboro Police Department for 32 years.  He was most proud to have served as the Department’s Police Chief for 17 of those years.

He was an avid Fly Fisherman and long time member of the Wrentham Angler’s Club where he spent numerous hours in the ‘peace & quiet’ of the surroundings…he was a prolific Fly Tyer.  He loved to fish the surf for stripers and blues at Barrington Beach in Rhode Island  – ever visible and well known as the ‘guy’ with the red 1970 VW Westfalia.  He enjoyed numerous breakfasts and the social atmosphere (where everybody knows your name) at the Ritz Dinette, Seekonk, prior to his many fishing excursions.  His most recent pastime and one of his favorites, was taking photos and creating video slide shows of family events that focused heavily on his beloved grandchildren.  His

e-library contains 70,000+ photographs…he was BUSY!

Rollie is survived by his children; son Donald Sabourin and wife Cristin, son Christopher Sabourin and his wife Sandra, his daughter Theresa (Tracy) Sabourin, and his step-sons Derek and Kyle Swenson and their wives Taryn and Petra; his sister Sandra Joyner of Wheaton, Illinois, his brother John Sabourin of West Palm Beach, Florida, and his loving sister Marie Emily Johnson of North Attleboro; two step-brothers, Michael and Peter McGrath; his beloved grandchildren and his many nieces and nephews.

Family and friends are welcome to attend a  Mass of Christian Burial in St John the Evangelist Church, 133 North Main Street, Attleboro  on Tuesday August 27th at 10 am.  Burial will be private and at a later date.  In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts in Roland’s memory to the Philip Hulitar Inpatient Center, 1085 North Main Street, Providence, RI 02904, would be deeply appreciated. For online expressions of sympathy, visit www.hathawayfunerals.com. Arrangements were entrusted with, Foley-Hathaway Funeral Home in Attleboro.